Lawmakers table proposal to add homeless to hate crimes law

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico bill that had proposed adding the homeless as a protected class under the state's hate crime's statute has been tabled in the Legislature.
The statute proposed by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, an Albuquerque Democrat, initially had been listed on a legislative schedule for a hearing Tuesday before the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee.
But it did not go before the committee after it was tabled last week, with lawmakers recommending that any efforts to enhance guidelines for crimes targeting the homeless be proposed under a different statute.
New Mexico's hate crime law allows for increased penalties for crimes that target people because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, disabilities or religion.